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Hjen
The past and future, the living and dead, the other and self; all things are connected in the weave of the Hjen’s cosmology. Adherents to harmony with nature, the empathetic Hjen chose to coexist with the hostile Venswood, rather than commanding it. Patient and devout, they revere their experiential history, and gladly share their wisdom with those who respect the weave. 'Features' 'Blood Of The Seer' The Choir's central spiritual thread, the Verse, emerged from the mouth of a Hjen, which was of little surprise to other peoples of the Venswood. Hjen have always had a greater propensity than most to spirituality. Their culture and rites are deeply concerned with matters of personal development and finding spiritual and physical balance. This philosophy can sometimes put them at odds with the other races of the Choir, who find their acceptance of their hostile home on its own terms to be distasteful or even bizarre. Though few are outright fanatical, most Hjen are traditionalists and look to the past for guidance in their decisions. They value wisdom, honesty, harmony, and deeply respect their elders. 'The Ink Of Memory' As part of their traditional practices, each Hjen keeps a living record of their lives in the form of body tattoos depicting their knowledge and experiences. Hjen live extraordinarily long lives, allowing them to either renew faded tattoos, or replace them with new or improved wisdom. Sharing these tattooed histories is a common affair for older Hjen, and there is no greater sign of respect than adopting the teachings of another Hjen upon one’s own skin. When a Hjen dies, their body is ritually displayed so their lessons are not forgotten. 'Lives Beyond Death' Hjen are large, durable, and capable fighters; however in the Venswood this is more the norm than an exception - those who cannot defend themselves from a Jackal Wasp don't last long outside of a Kihai glade. What sets them apart is their cultural focus on legacy and memory, which lends them a sense of discipline and honor that the rest of the Choir can find stifling. For most Hjen, building one's legacy is life's first purpose, not just through progeny, but through lessons they leave for others. Culture Naming Conventions If a Hjen name starts with a consonant it should end with a vowel. If a name doesn't end with a vowel common name endings are ur, il, and et. Tusks get in the way of "M", "V", "B" and "P" sounds. If a name contains those letters it should be at the beginning of the name, and when spoken it sounds more like an "F". Hjen last names reference the mother of the individual. The masculine form of this is Un and the feminine form is Ul. First Name Examples Last Name Examples and Translation Ul-Odgaret = Daughter of Odgaret Un-Zhala = Son of Zhala Philosophy The Hjen are known for their spirituality and introspection, which is most embodied by their adherence to the teaching of 'The Weave'. The Weave is the concept that all things that are, arose from the conditions of the past, and so will everything that is to come. This deterministic concept comes with injunctions towards long-term thinking, to seeking out the root causes of problems and not just the symptoms, and considering oneself as a part of a greater whole. Originally, this way of thinking was born out of practical need: The Hjen's key to survival in the Venswood was to combine their physical bulk with understanding and empathy, allowing them to anticipate events to come rather than merely reacting to crises. Famously, the Hjen of old moved their entire people through the forest for three days march before resettling, having observed that the ancient dragons would soon be using the section of the forest where they lived previously for their mating displays. Dragons selected a new display ground every few decades, and it was the Hjen's attention to detail and causality that allowed them to anticipate their movement and dodge the calamity that would have arose as a result. The Hjen are often deeply saddened by the loss of the dragons and other beasts driven to extinction by the Spears, whom they would have preferred to coexist with. With the coming of the Unwritten Verse, sung by the orcish bard Rhania, the mysticism of the Hjen was redoubled. Here, sung to them, was the Weave made plain - the Prophetess, they said, had seen the Weave and understood it, which allowed her to not only see things as they were but anticipate what was to come. The Hjen became the primary custodians of the Unwritten Verse, recording it in song, in Ink, and in story. Though many disagreed on what exactly the Verse meant, it provided enough clarity of events yet to come (and, in hindsight, often predicted more than they had the ability to understand at the time) to demonstrate itself as genuine. Their faith in the Verse, the Weave, and their hope for a new Prophet or Prophetess is not a true religion but is beginning to bear some of the traits of an organized faith, coalescing into revered community rites such as Inkweaving and their burial practices. Death Rituals When a Hjen dies and their body can be recovered, it is given over to the Kin-keepers, Inkweavers, and Elders for preparation. Between the various expertise of these senior and respected Hjen, the deceased's body is prepared for display. Their wounds are bound, their body cleaned, and any damaged tattoos (not faded, for fading is itself a lesson) are re-inked upon their corpse. Once the body is ready, it is ritually displayed for viewing by the community, tied into an upright and neutral position and held in place with a specially prepared wooden frame (These are made for each Hjen, much like a coffin, and not re-used). The Hjen know herbal arts capable of preserving the body for some time, and it is usually displayed for a day or two. Hjen mourn by studying the tattoos of the dead, and telling stories of the lessons they mean, as well as other tales of their life. Lessons felt to be important are often taken on by younger Hjen with space to bear them, and such an act is an honored one - the community must judge them capable of understanding the lesson they bear. When this process has been completed, the body is taken down and traditionally buried outside of the town beneath an unmarked cairn to prevent beasts from disturbing it, for while the corpse is respected, what was the life, love, and lessons of the deceased is no longer bound to the remains. Over time Kihai and Hjen burial practices are slowly beginning to integrate as they each respect the process of returning to nature/the weave. It is not uncommon for Hjen corpses, once displayed, to be buried amidst tree roots in the manner of the Kihai if they were close to a Kihai buried there or at their previous request. Roles Kin-keeper In a society formed in one huge forest full of predators, keeping an eye out for people who are missing is an important and valued role. When the Choir began to centralize the position became more formal, and more clerical, but retains that wild edge - a Kin-Keeper needs to face the very real possibility that the person they're looking for was taken by some murderous animal, and 'clerk' is part and parcel for them with the role of 'tracker/detective'. Inkweaver The Hjen maintain a strong semi-oral, semi-literate tradition in the form of tattoos that describe important lessons they have learned about the nature of life, about the nature of the world, or even critical practical lessons. In ages past the position of tattooist was a mundane profession, but as the Hjen spirituality and philosophy evolved to incorporate tattoos as an important cultural artifact and rite, the role of Inkweaver was born. Inkweavers are artists, scholars, historians and community leaders rolled into one person. Inkweavers are often also semi-skilled herbalists and medics, as their practice dictates. The Inkweaver's parlour is a holy place to the Hjen. Because it has an Inkweaver, and not the other way around. It's where the weave is made real in flesh, and that has power. Things said while Inking are private things. Lying to embellish your lessons or stories is a grave trespass - you are going to advertise that to the world, how dare you speak a lie into that legacy? Onto your skin? A Note On Hjen Fighters Hjen typically prefer to find paths other than violence, but they are not pacifists and understand the need for skill at arms to drive back threats to themselves. Hjen warriors tend not to be professional soldiers, but volunteers who have other primary professions, or those who hail from other professions where strength or skill with weapons is necessary, such as hunters or lumberjacks. Even those Hjen whose central pursuit is martial bring to it their typical introspection, making a study of violence and seeking to learn from it lessons about themselves. With long limbs and tall frames, Hjen who are willing to do the work of honing their bodies are fast, strong and durable, making them popular shieldmates for others of the Choir. The Kihai of the Guard often refer to their Hjen compatriots by tree nicknames appropriate for their coloration; Willow, Redwood, Ghostbark, etc. Food Hjen have a reputation for liking spicy foods, and delight in a meal that 'Lights the tusks' Hjen cookery is a complex affair involving an array of spices and peppers, and most families have their sworn secret recipes for what they boast to be the hottest spiced broth or curries. It is something of a shameful event to be visibly more affected by a rival Hjen chef's spices than they are of yours. The Hjen love for hot foods is not common outside of their clade (but more so among the culinary appreciative Cuthaill than the Kihai or humans), but many are the boastful non-Hjen of the Choir who will undertake a Hjen meal as a challenge. It is an unofficial rite of passage for young Spears to survive a Hjen meal and maintain their composure, and the Hjen delight in tormenting the humans undertaking such a test. History There are few written records on the Hjen history, due to their strong preference for passing on their stories orally. While there are plentiful differences among these stories, most traditions include these key events: 'Physiology' Ages Hjen mature physically at around the age of 10-11 and typically live anywhere from 175 to 215 years. Hjen only consider one of their own to be an adult when they have received their first tattoo, which is always at the discretion of their elders and the Inkweaver - rarely is a Hjen inked before the age of 21 and never before 19 summers. Young Hjen are encouraged to experience life voraciously to encounter a lesson worthy of Ink, or to experience something that allows them to comprehend an older orc's lesson and copy it for themselves. Size Hjen tend to sit around 2-3 meters tall with a full range of body sizes depending on their lifestyle. Complexion Hjen maintain a variety of skin colors, from pale yellows, greens and whites to darker reds and oranges. Tusks and Horns Most Hjen have tusks or horns on their body. It’s rare (but not impossible) for Hjen to have both tusks and horns. Eyes Hjen typically have black, silver, or gray eyes. Yellow and red colors are rare, but not unheard of. Hair Hjen usually have a shade of black and white for hair. Auburn, blond, and red hair also exist, but aren't very common. In Game Appearance 'MPM Sliders' The following settings in MPM are assumed to be the average size for Hjen: Head: 100/100/100 Body: 110/110/110 Arms: 110/110/110 Leg : 110/130/110 Category:BW World 4 Category:Races